Sampson, Willem and Dale
Three new teddy bears have been added to the current selection, Sampson, Willem and Dale.They have all been created using wool yarn to ensure they are soft and tactile.
Donald
As you may remember from my previous blog post, I was commissioned to make some ties for a wedding. Following on from this the couple wanted something a bit different and special to remind them of their wedding day. The below teddy bear, Donald, was created using the same fabric design as the ties.
Lottie
This teddy bear in was a bespoke order from customer who wanted to give her grown up daughter something extra special for Christmas. With each bespoke order I discuss with the customer how they would like the bear to look, colour, material, pattern etc. For this one her daughter loves the countryside so we went for a tartan pattern using wool yarn to create that traditional country feel. To put a contemporary twist I used a non-traditional tartan pattern and bright but warm colours. After initial ideas from the customer I did further research into tartans and colour palettes. I really pleased how the colours work together, try contrast well to enhance the tartan.
Dylan and Blake
These two teddy bears were a commission for a lady who wanted a pair of teddy bears for her two grandchildren who are both under three years old. She wanted to give them something special for Christmas that they would cherish for years to come. They are both made from Tencel using a twill weave and contemporary tartan pattern. To make them look like a pair I used the same yarn for each but changed the composition of the tartan and proportion of colour. To make them even more personalised and special to each child I embroidered the first letter of their names on to the bottom of the foot.
Made By Hands of Britain
I am very excited to be able to say that I am now on the Made By Hands of Britain website. It will be a great place to sell my teddy bears and bespoke, made to order teddy bears too.
I was honoured (and surprised) when Gillian approached me and asked me to be a part of Made By Hands of Britain. It was great to know somebody had noticed and like my teddy bears. It has definitely given me a boost in confidence.
Why I make teddy bears
I have been asked a few times now why I make teddy bears. many weavers make scarves, throws, cushions etc. But I don’t. This is something I have been thinking about because I don’t normally have much of an answer. I don’t make the usual items because I want to make something special and stand out as an individual with a unique product. Making teddy bears is something I have always wanted to do, I found courses but they were always so expensive and in difficult to reach places. While at uni I gained the confidence to make a teddy bear myself, with my woven fabrics. The shop bought teddy bears I have at home each has a special memory attached to it. They remind me of a special place, event or person. I make teddy bears because I want to make a product that is treasured, that is going to be special to my customer, not something that will be worn for a a while and eventually discarded. Weaving the fabric for the teddy bear and being able to put a letter/initial/date on the makes each one truly individual.
I also love the fact that I am making a traditional product, using traditional techniques and processes but my use of colour, yarn and weave makes it a contemporary product.